Jump to content

Hammerhead (comics)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Hammerhead
Hammerhead
Publication information
PublisherMarvel Comics
First appearanceThe Amazing Spider-Man#113 (Oct. 1972)
Created byGerry Conway(writer)
John Romita Sr.(artist)
In-story information
Alter egoJoseph (surname unknown)[1]
SpeciesHumancyborg
Team affiliationsMaggia
Sinister Twelve
Notable aliasesMr. H
Abilities

Hammerheadis asupervillainappearing inAmerican comic bookspublished byMarvel Comics.The character is primarily depicted as anadversaryof thesuperheroSpider-Man.He is a temperamentalmobsterwho often dresses and acts in the 1920s style, and a prominent member of theMaggia,a fictionalorganized crimesyndicate.[2]Following an accident, he had most of his skull replaced with an inflexible steel alloy byJonas Harrow,giving his head a flattened shape and near-indestructibility, hence his nickname. The Hammerheadcrime family,of which he is the second and current head, is named after the character.

Hammerhead has made appearances in several forms of media outside of comics, including animated series and video games.IGNranked him as Spider-Man's 20th greatest enemy.[3]

Publication history

[edit]

Hammerhead made his first appearance inThe Amazing Spider-Man#113, and was created by writerGerry Conwayand artistJohn Romita Sr.[4]

Conway recalled that Hammerhead "was most directly influenced by theBig Manand the Crime-Master, who were among the first villains inAmazing Spider-Man.One of the more interesting thingsStan [Lee],Jack Kirby,and, of course,Steve Ditkodid was combining the two different kinds of milieus: superhero andDick Tracy,with the unusual criminal characters who had some kind of physical deformity... Plus, Hammerhead—I liked [the] name, and John Romita came up with an interesting look ".[5]

Fictional character biography

[edit]

Hammerhead's family immigrated from theSoviet UniontoItalywhen he was a child with help from a man known only as the General. His father ran a garage in Toirrano, where he insisted the young man speak only in Russian, beating him severely with a mallet when he would not. Although not much is known about his life before he became a criminal and supervillain, Hammerhead is known to be married and has a sister named Antonia.[6]

All the while, Hammerhead dreamed of becoming a gangster. He is eventually recruited into one of the "families" of the criminal organization known as theMaggiawhen a member oversees Hammerhead "making his bones" by murdering a childhood bully and his girlfriend in a theater showingThe Godfather Part II.Originally a small-time hitman, Hammerhead quickly rises through the ranks of the Maggia, while pretending to be ethnically Italian so he can be "made",or fully initiated member. In his final test, Hammerhead is brought to his father's garage (with the Maggia apparently unaware of their relationship). Hammerhead proceeds to kill his father, while saying in Russian that he blames his villainy on his father's abuse.[7]

One day, Hammerhead was found beaten, disfigured, and delirious with pain in an alley in New York City'sBowerybyJonas Harrow,a surgeon who had lost his medical license due to his illegal experiments. Seeing the opportunity both to save this man's life and to redeem his reputation, Harrow operated on the gunman for three days, replacing much of his shattered skull with a strong steel alloy.[8]During the surgery, the unconscious thug fixated on the only memory he retained: an image of a poster for a movie called "TheAl CaponeMob ", which was hanging in the alley where he lay beaten and bloodied before Harrow found him. When he recovered, the memory of the poster and its images of 1930s-era gangsters prompted Hammerhead to start a gang of his own in the style of Capone and other mobsters of the 1920s. He even dressed as if he were living in that decade.

A gang war broke out between Hammerhead's mob andDoctor Octopus's criminal organization. Hammerhead was forced to flee the country due toSpider-Man's interference.[9]He later had a rematch with Doctor Octopus next to an atomic breeder reactor on a remote Canadian island which caused a chain reaction, blasting Hammerhead "out of phase" with this dimension.[10]Some time later, he appeared as an immaterial ghost-like being to haunt Doctor Octopus. Doctor Octopus then unwittingly used a particle accelerator to restore Hammerhead to his corporeal form. Hammerhead kidnapped Spider-Man'sAunt May,who was then rescued by Spider-Man as Doctor Octopus caused Hammerhead's helicopter to plummet into the Hudson River.[11]

Hammerhead then proposed that all Maggia families unite under his leadership. Wearing a strength-enhancing exoskeleton, he battled theHuman Torch,who then fused the exoskeleton's power pack.[12]Hammerhead was nearly assassinated by theKingpin's minion the Arranger during a gang war. Despite surviving the assassination, Hammerhead was ultimately forced out of a major role in New York City organized crime by the Kingpin.[13]

Hammerhead then allied himself with theChameleonin the latter's bid to become the new crime lord of New York City. The two served as partners in a splinter group of the Maggia.[14]Hammerhead hiredTombstoneas a bodyguard and hitman.[15]He hired theHobgoblinto killJoe Robertson,who posed a threat to Tombstone; the assassination attempt failed.[16]Hammerhead was kidnapped and beaten by Tombstone, who had gained superhuman powers and resented Hammerhead for not sending him to kill Joe Robertson.[17]

Hammerhead later attended a Las Vegas crime conference to divide the resources left by the Kingpin's downfall at the time.[18]Around this time, he participates in a multi-sided gang-war focused on the Kingpin's attempt to re-take New York City for his own.[19]

Hammerhead is a major player in underworld activities in the Marvel Universe and is highly sought after for elimination by thePunisher.[20]He becomes one of several gang warlords struggling to control the criminal underworld in the major cities of the Eastern United States.[volume & issue needed]During one of the first meetings of such warlords, Hammerhead was almost killed by theStrucker twins.[volume & issue needed]This meeting was being manipulated byBaron Strucker,the head ofHYDRA.[volume & issue needed]WhenDon Fortunatomade a bid for control of the New York underworld, Hammerhead opposed him and was almost killed as a result.[volume & issue needed]When every other crime lord surrendered to Fortunato and his HYDRA allies, Hammerhead went rogue, launching a raid on Fortunato's home and successfully fighting off a HYDRA attack on his own headquarters.[volume & issue needed]He did have assistance from Spider-Man andMorbius the Living Vampire,however.[volume & issue needed]For a time, the hero known asS.H.O.C.also assists Hammerhead.[21]Later, he was hired byNorman Osbornto be a part of theSinister Twelve.[22]

During the events of the "Civil War",Hammerhead used the vacuum left by the incarceration of theKingpinto gain a greater foothold in the ranks of organized crime, attempting to organize an army of costumed villains (consisting of theAni-Men,theAnswerI, the Aura,Bloodshed,theClown,theCycloneIII, theDiscus,Electro,theGreat Gambonnos,theKangarooII,Man Mountain Marko,theMauler,Mindblast,Override,theRingmaster,Stiletto,theSpot,theSquid,Slyde,theTrapster,and theWill O' the Wisp) to enforce his new criminal empire. When Slyde balked at the idea, Hammerhead hadUnderworldkill him to serve as a warning to anyone who did not join up with him. The Kingpin manipulated various hero factions, most notablyS.H.I.E.L.D.andIron Man,into breaking up Hammerhead's first convening of his army. During the conflict, Hammerhead was shot numerous times by Underworld, who was revealed to be working for the Kingpin. Underworld later confronted Hammerhead while he lay in prison and shot him at point-blank range with adamantium bullets.[23]

The bullets, while not penetrating his skull, did cause severe trauma to his brain, resulting him in needing surgery, but the hospital he was brought to was unable to treat him. In mid-surgery however, men working for the Kingpin's rivalMister Negativecame in, killed the hospital staff, and took Hammerhead away. Mister Negative then has his surgeon Doctor Trauma revive Hammerhead and offers to transplant his brain into a new robotic adamantium skeleton, which Hammerhead agrees to.[7]

The operation is a complete success, and Hammerhead is restored to full mobility without any ill effects. He swears loyalty to Mister Negative in exchange for his restored life and proceeds to shape a gang of lowlife thugs into an effective army for his benefactor. He then proceeds to battle Spider-Man, besting him with no effort for the first time in years. Later, he has a rematch with Spider-Man, with Spider-Man dislocating Hammerhead's hip bone.[24]

Mister Negative sends Hammerhead to help Spider-Man (who Mister Negative corrupted) take down the Hood, who launches an attack on Negative's headquarters. He blackmails H.A.M.M.E.R. directorNorman Osborninto forcing the Hood to pull out of Chinatown.[25]

Hammerhead later begins to doubt his loyalty to Mister Negative whenSilvermane,a deceased former Maggia don and an old enemy of the Kingpin, appears to return.[volume & issue needed]Unknown to Hammerhead, "Silvermane" is actually an android controlled byMysterioto plant seeds of rebellion. Nevertheless, he flees a shootout with the Maggia when the Silvermane robot calls him a traitor. It is shown that Mister Negative had a computer chip put in Hammerhead's head to deliver an electroshock when necessary, which he promptly uses to punish him and remind him who is in charge.[volume & issue needed]

During theOrigin of the Speciesstoryline, Hammerhead and Mister Negative are among the supervillains invited by Doctor Octopus to join his supervillain team, promising them that they will receive a reward in exchange for securing some specific items for him.[26]

Alongside his nephew and minions, Hammerhead formed an alliance with theBlack Cat,where he sided with her gang.[27]

Hammerhead is among the crime lords competing with Mister Negative in obtaining the Tablet of Life and Destiny to win the favor of Mayor Wilson Fisk.[28]

Hammerhead was among the crime lords that attend the wedding ofRandy RobertsonandJanice Lincoln.WhenShotguncrashed the wedding and shoots Tombstone as Spider-Man goes after him, the crime lords blame each other for calling the hit. AsMadame Masquetakes her leave, Tombstone bombs her limo.[29]

As Hammerhead is meeting with his gang at the start of the "Gang War"storyline, they are visited by Madame Masque's fatherCount Nefaria.While stating that he'll take the blame for what happened to his daughter, Hammerhead is told by Count Nefaria that the other crime lords will bow to the Maggia once again.[30]After hearing about howMister Negative'sInner Demonshad used holy water on Lady Yulan's gang, Hammerhead meets with Mister Negative, Lady Yulan,Owl,andBlack Mariahwhere he mentions that his gang will be backed by Count Nefaria and Silvermane while also mentioning that Madame Masque and Tombstone's territories are up for grabs.[31]At Arthur Avenue, Hammerhead meets with Owl, Lady Yulan, Mister Negative, Black Mariah,Diamondback,andShang-Chi(who is representing theFive Weapons Society) when Janice Lincoln arrives with White Rabbit stating that none of the crime lords will have her father's territory. After sending some gunmen to target Randy Robertson, Hammerhead learns too late that the girl he has been dating was Madame Masque in disguise as she uses a combination of magic and an Adamantium bar to knock him out.[32]Hammerhead is told by Madame Masque that she is an overlooked weapon of hers and then dares him to "call all of them". His men arrive to find Madame Masque and Shotgun holding a defeated Count Nefaria and Silvermane's head and must swear an oath to Madame Masque as the new leader of the Maggia.[33]Hammerhead was later seen in a cell with Count Nefaria and Silvermane by the timeX-23's cloneBellonathrew Owl in with them.[34]

Powers and abilities

[edit]

Hammerhead has no superhuman abilities, yet his skull is now surgically reinforced with vibranium (or secondary adamantium), making his head flat on top; with this, he can charge and break through objects such as brick walls without causing any pain or damage to himself. This metal can absorb physical impacts that would otherwise fracture human bone. Hammerhead is in peak physical condition comparable to that of anOlympic-level athlete. He is a formidable hand-to-hand combatant whose most dangerous tactic is charging head first like a bull toward an opponent. Hammerhead once utilized a strength-enhancing exoskeleton designed by theTinkerer.

After an assassin's adamantium bullet penetrated a part of his head not protected by his adamantium skull, Hammerhead is surgically rebuilt byMister Negative.Breakout surgeries replace the upper half of his skeleton with an adamantium endo-skeleton (the skeleton is shown to have a network of hydraulic servomechanisms). The upper portion of his body is now superhumanly strong as a result of the additional hidden cybernetic musculature, making him able to effortlessly beat a superpowered foe such as Spider-Man. Mister Negative does not use on Hammerhead the sameLord Dark Windbonding process, used on the similarly empoweredWolverineandLady Deathstrikefor coating their bones in adamantium: instead he replaces Hammerhead's bones with replicas fashioned in the invulnerable metal. It is still unknown how his artificial skeleton can carry on biological functions.

The intervention of Mr. Negative also radically changed Hammerhead's personality. Hammerhead now recalls his life as a Russian immigrant prior to the accident in which he adopted the 1920s gangster persona. Consequently, Hammerhead no longer speaks like a 1920s movie gangster, but instead behaves as a typical modern Russian mobster and hitman, as this was apparently his original personality prior to his head injury.

Hammerhead is highly skilled in the organization, concealment and management of criminal enterprises. He is an effective hitman, a skilled marksman (his preferred weapon was theThompson submachine gun), and an excellent street fighter. In his original incarnation, Hammerhead was able to hold his own against Spider-Man despite being an ordinary human by using his superhumanly durable skull as a blunt instrument. After his recent augmentation, he is now capable of grappling with and physically overpowering Spider-Man to the extent that he could eventually crush his foe.

Reception

[edit]
  • In 2022,Screen Rantincluded Hammerhead in their "10 Spider-Man Villains That Are Smarter Than They Seem" list.[35]
  • In 2022,CBR.comranked Hammerhead 10th in their "10 Most Violent Spider-Man Villains" list.[36]

Other versions

[edit]

House of M

[edit]

In theHouse of Mreality, Hammerhead is one of the gang leaders defeated byLuke Cagein his rise to power in Sapien Town.[37]

Marvel Zombies

[edit]

In theMarvel Zombies vs. The Army of Darknessminiseries, Hammerhead briefly appears, along with the Owl and the Kingpin, at a meeting to discuss how to survive the zombie outbreak. This version of Hammerhead is ultimately killed by the Punisher.[38]

Ultimate Marvel

[edit]

TheUltimate Marvelversion of Hammerhead first appears inUltimate X-Men#13-14 as a mobster namedJosephwho has killed the parents of an unnamed little girl. The girl stumbles upon local street performer/magicianGambit,taking the girl in and decides to protect her from the mob.[39]The girl is kidnapped and Gambit goes on a rampage to find her, blindly running into an ambush Hammerhead set up. Gambit gets out of the ambush and chases Hammerhead down and ends with Gambit charging Hammerhead's inorganic skull full of bio-kinetic energy and causes his head to explode.[40]InUltimate Spider-Man,Hammerhead wasrevealed to have survivedGambit's attack, though how is not explained ( "It sucked. I came back." ). He killsSilvermanein the beginning of theWarriorsstory arc and becomes theEnforcers' new leader and he burns down one of the Kingpin's warehouses. After an intense battle withSpider-Man,theBlack Cat,theMoon Knight,Iron FistandShang-Chi,he was put in a coma whenElektrabrutally stabbed him in the chest with hersaiand flung him out of a window.[41]

Marvel MAX

[edit]

An alternate version of Hammerhead appears as one of the antagonists in theCageminiseries byBrian AzzarelloandRichard Corben.This version of the character is a deformed gangster namedSonny "The Hammer" Caputo,who is embroiled in a gang war with Tombstone.[42]

Age of Ultron

[edit]

During the "Age of Ultron"storyline, a reality where Ultron nearly annihilated the human race has Hammerhead and theOwlcapturing theSuperior Spider-Manand hoping to trade him toUltron.Hawkeye came to the Superior Spider-Man's rescue as the Ultron Sentinels attack.[43]

Earth-001

[edit]

During theSpider-Versestoryline, the Earth-001 version of Hammerhead appears as a member of Verna'sHounds.[44]

In other media

[edit]

Television

[edit]
  • Hammerhead appears in theSpider-Man(1981) episode "Wrath of the Sub-Mariner", voiced byWilliam Boyett.[citation needed]
  • Hammerhead appears inSpider-Man(1994), voiced by Nicky Blair.[citation needed]The metal used in this version's head isadamantiumand he initially servesSilvermanebefore being fired by him and hired by theKingpin,whom Hammerhead serves loyally for the rest of the series.
  • Hammerhead appears inThe Spectacular Spider-Man,voiced byJohn DiMaggio.[45]This version is more cool-headed and intelligent and wieldsbrass knuckles.Additionally, he originally worked for Silvermane and was in a romantic relationship with his daughter,Sable Manfredi,before they broke up and Hammerhead became an enforcer forTombstone.Throughout the series, Hammerhead acts on Tombstone's behalf by manufacturing supervillains to distract Spider-Man from Tombstone's operations. However, Tombstone eventually becomes fed up with Hammerhead's failures and begins conducting business without him. While contactingNorman Osbornto create another supervillain, Hammerhead becomes inspired to betray his boss, unknowingly contributing to Osborn's plan to take Tombstone out of play. Secretly calling for a Valentine's Day summit between Tombstone, Silvermane, andDoctor Octopus,Hammerhead attempts to manipulate the assembled crime bosses into killing each other. However, Spider-Man foils his plan by getting all of the bosses arrested, leading Tombstone to fire Hammerhead.
  • AMarvel Noir-inspired incarnation of Hammerhead appears in theUltimate Spider-Manepisode "Return to the Spider-Verse" [Pt. 3], voiced byJon Polito.[45]This version is a crime boss and rival ofJoe Fixitwho previously employedMartin Li.
  • Hammerhead appears inSpider-Man(2017), voiced byJim Cummings.[45]This version is a crime boss who previously employedFlint MarkoandRandy Macklinand has a spoiled son named Tull (voiced byLaura Bailey.[citation needed])

Video games

[edit]

Miscellaneous

[edit]

Hammerhead makes a minor appearance inSpider-Man: Turn Off the Dark.[citation needed]

References

[edit]
  1. ^Dan Slott (w), Marcos Martin (p), Marcos Martin (i). "Mysterioso, Part 1: Un-Murder Incorporated"The Amazing Spider-Man,no. 618 (March 2010). United States: Marvel Comics.
  2. ^Rovin, Jeff(1987).The Encyclopedia of Super-Villains.New York: Facts on File. p. 153.ISBN0-8160-1356-X.[1]
  3. ^"Top 25 Spider-Man Villains".IGN.April 16, 2014.
  4. ^Manning, Matthew K. (2012). "1970s". In Gilbert, Laura (ed.).Spider-Man Chronicle Celebrating 50 Years of Web-Slinging.Dorling Kindersley.p. 63.ISBN978-0756692360.Writer Gerry Conway made his first major contribution to the Spider-Man saga...a new mobster was on the rise in New York's underworld - Hammerhead.
  5. ^Williams, Scott E. (October 2010). "Gerry Conway: Everything but the Gwen Stacy Sink".Back Issue!(#44).TwoMorrows Publishing:7.
  6. ^Spider-Man: Lifeline#3. Marvel Comics.
  7. ^abThe Amazing Spider-Man EXTRA!#1 (July 2008). Marvel Comics.
  8. ^Sanderson, Peter (2007).The Marvel Comics Guide to New York City.New York City:Pocket Books.p. 18.ISBN978-1-4165-3141-8.
  9. ^The Amazing Spider-Man#113-115. Marvel Comics.
  10. ^The Amazing Spider-Man#130-131. Marvel Comics.
  11. ^The Amazing Spider-Man#157-159. Marvel Comics.
  12. ^Fantastic Four#233. Marvel Comics.
  13. ^The Amazing Spider-Man#284-288. Marvel Comics.
  14. ^Web of Spider-Man#51. Marvel Comics.
  15. ^Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man#157. Marvel Comics.
  16. ^Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man#161. Marvel Comics.
  17. ^Web of Spider-Man#68. Marvel Comics.
  18. ^Daredevil#307-309;Nomad#4-6;ThePunisher War Journal#46-48. Marvel Comics.
  19. ^Spider-Man: Made Men#1 (Aug. 1998). Marvel Comics.
  20. ^The Punishervol. 3 #5 Marvel Comics.
  21. ^Spider-Man#79-80. Marvel Comics.
  22. ^Marvel Knights: Spider-Man#10-11. Marvel Comics.
  23. ^Civil War: War Crimes#1 (Feb. 2007). Marvel Comics.
  24. ^The Amazing Spider-Man#575. Marvel Comics.
  25. ^Dark Reign: Mister Negative#2-3. Marvel Comics.
  26. ^The Amazing Spider-Man#642. Marvel Comics.
  27. ^Spider-Manvol. 2 #3. Marvel Comics.
  28. ^The Amazing Spider-Manvol. 5 #59. Marvel Comics.
  29. ^The Amazing Spider-ManVol. 6 #31. Marvel Comics.
  30. ^The Amazing Spider-ManVol. 6 #37. Marvel Comics.
  31. ^The Amazing Spider-ManVol. 6 #38. Marvel Comics.
  32. ^The Amazing Spider-Man - Gang War First Strike#1. Marvel Comics.
  33. ^The Amazing Spider-ManVol. 6 #40. Marvel Comics.
  34. ^Daredevil: Gang War#3. Marvel Comics.
  35. ^Chrysostomou, George (October 3, 2022)."10 Spider-Man Villains That Are Smarter Than They Seem".ScreenRant.RetrievedNovember 8,2022.
  36. ^Harth, David (September 17, 2022)."10 Most Violent Spider-Man Villains, Ranked".CBR.RetrievedDecember 3,2022.
  37. ^House of M: Avengers#1
  38. ^John Layman (w). "Marvel Team-Ups"Marvel Zombies vs. The Army of Darkness,no. 2 (2007). Marvel Comics and Dynamite Entertainment.
  39. ^Ultimate X-Men#13. Marvel Comics.
  40. ^Ultimate X-Men#14. Marvel Comics.
  41. ^Ultimate Spider-Man#79-85. Marvel Comics.
  42. ^Cage#1-5. Marvel Comics.
  43. ^Age of Ultron#1. Marvel Comics.
  44. ^The Amazing Spider-Manvol. 3 #12. Marvel Comics.
  45. ^abcdef"Hammerhead Voice – Spider-Man franchise | Behind The Voice Actors".Behind The Voice Actors.RetrievedDecember 24,2019.Check mark indicates role has been confirmed using screenshots of closing credits and other reliable sources.{{cite web}}:CS1 maint: postscript (link)
  46. ^"The Deadly Villains of Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions".Ign.com.September 3, 2010.RetrievedNovember 16,2018.
  47. ^[2][permanent dead link]
  48. ^"Characters".IGN Database.RetrievedJanuary 28,2018.
  49. ^"Venom Inc. Wreaks Havoc Across 'Spider-Man Unlimited' - News - Marvel".News.marvel.com.RetrievedNovember 16,2018.
  50. ^Gach, Ethan (October 23, 2018)."Spider-Man's Heist DLC Is Fun But Familiar".Kotaku.Archivedfrom the original on October 24, 2018.RetrievedOctober 24,2018.
  51. ^"Keith Silverstein on Twitter".Twitter.RetrievedNovember 16,2018.
  52. ^"Marvel's Spider-Man on PS4: Get to Know Hammerhead - The Maggia Don in 'Turf Wars'".Marvel.com.RetrievedMarch 26,2019.
[edit]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Hammerhead_(comics)&oldid=1235443399"